Piddler mechanism for strand material

ABSTRACT

Means including a piddler mechanism is provided for coiling delivery of continuous strand material. The piddler mechanism is of the type incorporating an entrance tube into which the strand material is drawn by aspiration generated at an annular orifice formed between the adjacent ends of the entrance tube and a following piddler tube that rotates. The structural arrangement allows the tube ends to be set in closely spaced telescoping relation for forming the annular orifice, and an advantageously shortened strand path and special form of delivery chute are employed in one embodiment. Means for feeding the strand material to the piddler mechanism is also included that optionally employs a specially formed roll for freeing the feeding strand material as it is drawn into the entrance tube.

United States Patent King et al.

[ 1 Dec. 19, 1972 [54] PIDDLER MECHANISM FOR STRAND I MATERIAL Inventors: Carles S. W. KingtJohn H. Pierce,

both of Charlotte, N.C.

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 823,829, May 12,

1969, abandoned.

52 vs. C] ..226/97, 28/21 [51] Int. Cl. ..B6Sh 54/80vv [58] Field Of Search ...226/97, 7;,28/l.4, 1 SM, 21 R;'

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,270,977 9/1966 Tillou ..28/2l X 3,397,437 8/1968 MCNeill BI al... ....28/2l 3,316,609 5/1967 Russo.... ....28/2l 3,302,839 2/1967 Spruill ....28/2l X 3,387,756 6/l968 Goodner ..226/97 AIR SUPPLY ,llllll 4 I llll -lllll Paulsen ..226/97 Koster ..226/97 X Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Att0rneyChanning L. Richards, Dalbert U. Shefte, Francis M. Pinckney and Richards & Shefte Means including a piddler mechanism is provided for coiling delivery of continuous strand material. The

ABSTRACT piddler mechanism is of the type incorporating an entrance tube into which the strand material is drawn by aspiration generated at an annular orifice formed between the adjacent ends of the entrance tube and a following piddler tube that rotates. The structural arrangement allows the tube ends to be set in closely spaced telescoping relation for forming the annular orifice, and an advantageously shortened strand path and special form of delivery chute are employed in one embodiment. Means for feeding the strand material to the piddler mechanism is also included that optionally employs a specially formed roll for freeing the feeding strand material as it is drawn into the entrance tube.

10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED man 19 m2 SHEET 1 0f 4 INVENTORS CHARLES S. W. KING Ev J'OHN H. P\.RC

ATTORNEYS SHEET 2 OF 4 PATENTED DEC 19 me INVENTORS CHARLES $.w, K| J'QHN H. PIERCE Q QLMAA Y S ATTORNEYS Nmnmim P'A'TE'N'TE'DuEc 19 m2 3. 706;407

INVENTORS CHARLES S. W. KING 5 Y JOHN H. PIERCE wa hi b ATTORNEY PATENTEB nu: 19 I972 SHEET t [If 4 INVENTORS CHARLES swame & BY JOHN H. PIERCE QM aSLfll ATTORNE S PIDDLER MECHANISM FOR STRAND MATERIAL CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 823,829, filed May 12, 1969, which was concurrently abandoned when the present application was filed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Textile operations involve a number of instances in which a continuous strand is produced that must be collected in batches for transfer to the next processing stage. Where the processing has progressed to the point of producing a strand that is amenable to winding into packages this is the common collection method employed. At early stages, however, when the strand has such bulk or is otherwise of such a character as to preclude winding, the common collection expedient is a coiling delivery of the strand into a relatively large open-top container. 1

An example of the latter sort is collection of the tow bundle produced at a synthetic fiber spinning line by combining or grouping the filaments from a plurality of spinning positions to form the tow strand. In such tow strands the combined filaments are associated in more or less parallel relation so that the strand structure may be disturbed or disrupted rather easily, and the normal production rates are quite high so that the strand collection arrangement must accept the tow in rapid fashion while protecting it against disruptive influences.

The means employed for tow strand collection commonly includes a so-called piddler mechanism such as is disclosed in US Pat. No. 2,971,683 that operates to forward the strand downwardly through a rotating piddler tube that has a canted lower end portion from which a coiling delivery results to lay the strand in a layered pattern of overlapping coils within a tow bin placed to receive the tow delivery.

Forwarding of the strand through the piddler tube is accomplished by aspiration usually provided for by forming an annular orifice in relation to a fixed entrance tube aligned with the piddler tube. There have been previous proposals for arranging the piddler tube for rotation by reaction from discharge of the aspirating air at its lower end, as in US. Pat. No. 2,447,982. Such an arrangement, however, generates air currents that are more disruptive than can be tolerated in handling tow, so that a rotating drive must be employed for the piddler tube as in the earlier noted US. Pat. No. 2,971,683, although the aspiration influence should still be modulated sufficiently to avoid objectionable disturbance of the tow as it passes through and from the piddler tube, and the piddler tube should be associated with the entrance tube so that no fiber-catching joint results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention a piddler mechanism is provided in which the piddler tube is supported for rotation in vertical alignment with an entrance tube in a manner that allows closely spaced telescoping of the adjacent tube ends to define an annular orifice for aspiration purposes which can be readily proportioned to avoid air current disturbance of the tow, and which eliminates the need for any joint between the tubes. The arrangement is such that a much shortened strand path is possible, and a special form of delivery chute may be employed to advantage, as noted further below in relation to one of the representative embodiments illustrated. The present invention also provides optional means for feeding the tow to the piddler mechanism in a manner that employs a specially formed roll by which the feeding tow is freed effectively from any lapping tendency prior to being drawn into the entrance tube of the piddler.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a piddler mechanism embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken at the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the FIG. 1 piddler mechanism as installed for operation;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the specially formed roll cover optionally employed in the feeding system;

FIG. 5 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a modified embodiment of the piddler mechanism of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal central section taken at right angles and viewed from the right in relation to FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top planview corresponding to FIG. 7;

and

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view corresponding to FIG. 7,

except that the delivery chute is shown as if it were de- DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The piddler mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 in the drawings, comprises a vertically disposed entrance tube 12 for receiving the strand material that is to be delivered in coiling fashion. The entrance tube 12 is supported in fixed relation by an upper housing portion 14 which forms a chamber about a substantial lower end portion of the tube 12. Fixed support of the entrance tube 12 is provided by threaded engagement thereof through the head of the housing portion 14 at which a lock nut 16 is applied to hold the tube 12 with its lower end extending through a transverse partition plate 18 installed intermediately within the housing portion 14.

The lower end of the entrance tube 12 terminates within the chamber formed by housing portion 14 below the partition plate 18, and a lower end portion 20 of the tube 12 below the plate 18 is exteriorly tapered toward this end. The partition plate 18, in addition to serving as a spaced positioning support for the entrance tube 12, is formed with a plurality of perforations or apertures 22 so that it acts as a diffuser for air supplied to the upper housing portion 14 through a chamber port 24 located above the plate 18, as will be noted further presently.

The upper housing portion 14 is necked at its bottom to seat within a double-flanged assembly ring 26 that provides for bolted connection with a lower housing portion 28. This lower housing portion 28 forms a journal box for a rotatable piddler tube 30 that extends upl060ll (D42 wardly within the chamber formed by the upper housing portion 14 to receive the lower end of the entrance tube 12 in vertically aligned and closely spaced telescoping relation; the piddler tube 30 being interiorly flared at 32 adjacent to and toward its upper end in complementary relation to the lower end entrance tube taper so as to define therewith an intervening annular orifice from the upper housing portion to the piddler tube at the lower end of the entrance tube 12.

Below the annular orifice thus provided, the bottom of the chamber formed by the upper housing portion 14 is closed about the upper end of the piddler tube 30 by a pair of resilient sealing rings 34 arranged within a backing annulus 36 and each formed with sealing lip portion 38 projecting to ride the adjacent exterior sur face of piddler tube 30 at an inclination away from the chamber bottom. A resulting cavity 40 between the lip portions 38 is preferably packed with a suitable grease to lubricate their riding disposition at the piddler tube surface.

.lournaling of the piddler tube 30 in the lower housing portion 28 is effected by spaced bearing units 42 and 44 both of which are assembled with the piddler tube 30 by split rings 42 and 44' seated in grooves (not shown) at the exterior tube surface. One of the bearing units 44 is fitted peripherally with a retaining ring 46 for seating against a lower housing portion shoulder under the clamping force of an assembly 'ring 48 bolted in place at the bottom of housing portion 28 to mount the piddler tube 30 for operation. p 1 1 Just below the lower housing portion 28, a pulley 50 is keyed on the piddler tube 30 to provide for rotating it (see FIG. 3), and a canted piddler tube portion 52 depends below the pulley 50 to effect a coilingdelivery of strand material discharged therefrom. This canted tube portion 52is preferably provided as a separate tube section of sufficiently large diameter to slip over the adjacent end ofthe main piddler tube portion and be held in place by a set screw 54 carried in an assembly collar 56.

As .thus arranged, the piddler mechanism 10 is equipped to be mounted for operation by bracket structure 58 bolted at a flattened exterior segment of the lower housing portion 28 for fixed mounting as a component of a strand material feeding and delivery system, such as is illustrated in FIG. 3 which indicates a suitable arrangement for such a system adapted to handle the output of tow from a synthetic fiber spinning line.

The piddler mechanism 10 is seen in FIG. 3 vertically disposed on a superstructure 60 supported on legs 62 at a sufficient elevation to allow positioning of a tow bin (not shown) below to receive the piddler delivery. A belt connection 64 is extended from the piddler tube pulley 50 to a motor 66 carried by the superstructure 60 for rotating the piddler tube 30.

Feeding of tow to the piddler mechanism 10 is accomplished by an endless belt 68 trained to wrap arcuately over a first roll 70 of relatively large diameter with a second roll 72 of relatively small diameter disposed to extend a reach of the belt 68 from the first roll 70 adjacent to the upper end of and in substantial vertical alignment with the entrance tube 12 of the piddler mechanism 10. A third roll 74 carried at a tension adjusting support 76 is provided for training return reaches of the belt 68 to a fourth driven roll 78 from which a belt reach then extends to wrap over the first roll 70 as previously mentioned.

The tow output is received from thespinning line through a delivery tube 80, an upper end portion of which is shown clamped on the superstructure to the left in FIG. 3 at an inclination suited to the superstructure elevation in relation to the level at which the spinning line delivers. Tow delivery through the tube 60 may be effected by aspiration means arranged at its lower end (not shown). As the tow emerges at the upper end of delivery tube 80 it is directed onto the surface of the large roll 70 beneath the reach of belt 68 extending thereto from the drivenroll 78, which is operated from a motor 82 through a belt connection seen fragmentarily at 84. The drive to the roll 78 is set to yield belt travel at a rate providing take-up of the tow delivered from tube 80, and the'tow thus taken-up is fed around the large roll 70 by the traveling belt 68 and then directed downwardly by the belt reach extending toward the entrance tube 12 of piddler mechanism 10. i s

The air supply delivered to the upper housing portion 14 of piddler mechanism 10 produces an additional aspiration effect as it passes through the previously mentioned annular orifice at the lower end of entrance tube 12 so that a suction ismaintained at the upper end of tube 12 to entrain the tow strand and thereby strip it from the belt 68 while forwarding it downwardly to the rotating piddler tube 30 for coiling delivery discharge at the lower end thereof.

In order to handle a tow strand satisfactorily for collection delivery in the foregoing manner, it is important that the annular orifice formed between the adjacent ends of entrance and piddler tubes 12 and 30 be proportioned for inducing an air velocity therethrough to create a suction influence at the lower end. of the entrance tube l2 adequate to maintain a strand delivering draft through the piddler mechanism 10, and for limiting the air flow through and from the piddler tube 30 so that the tow strand being delivered is not subjected to disruptive air currents.

Suitable proportioning of the annular orifice in compliance with these requirements dictates the closely spaced telescoping relation of the entrance and piddler tubes 12 and 30 that has been noticed previously. For example, where the tubes 12 and 30 have an inside diameter of fifteen-sixteenths inch, the respective taper 20 and flare 32 thereof should be formed to provide an intervening clearance in the order of 0.0l0 inch to 0.015 inch.

The resulting annular orifice at such a width allows an air supply at about 25 p.s.i. to maintain an orderly draft through the piddler mechanism 10 for delivering a tow strand without adversely disturbing it. For initially lacing-up the tow strand, it is desirable to increase the air supply pressure momentarily to something like 60 p.s.i. in order to insure that the leading end of the tow strand is drawn into the entrance tube 12, but the lower air supply pressure maintains delivery quite satisfactory once a start has been effected.

At such a close spacing of the tube portions 20 and 32 defining the annular orifice, however, it is necessary that the rotating piddler tube 30 be held in very precise vertical alignment with the entrance tube 12. Because this is so, it has heretofore been usual to form the annular orifice between fixed tube sections, and then provide a following piddler tube section that was rotatable. But such an arrangement requires a joint that will accommodate rotation of the piddler tube and such joints have incorporated an objectionable fiber-catching site in the piddler mechanism. The integrated housing arrangement employed according to the present invention makes it possible to maintain the precise alignment required between the entrance and piddler tubes.12 and 30 quite readily, and the intervening annular orifice provided therebetween, being the source of the aspiration influence, inherently maintains itself clear of fiber. 6 3

FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings illustrate a furthe aspect of the present invention that is concerned with freeing the tow strand from any lapping tendency at the feed belt 68 prior to being drawn into theentrance tube 12 of the piddler mechanism 10. Often there is no difficulty encountered in this respect and consequently no need to provide against it, but on occasion an applied spin finish or other treatment or character of the fiber constituting the tow strand will induce such adherence to the feed belt 68 as to require more forceful stripping than usual. Under such circumstances, it is not desirable to increase the aspiration air supply pressure for the reasons already noted, and the present invention accordingly provides a specially formed cover 86 of the sort shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 for the feed belt roll 72 to deal with the problem.

Although the feed roll cover 86 might be provided instead as an integral part of the roll 72, it suitably takes the form of a sleeve, as seen best in FIG. 5, having provision at 88 for set screws to hold it in place, .and having a plurality of longitudinal segments 90 formed arcuately at its peripheral surface, as seen in FIG. 4, on radii exceeding its maximum radius. The illustrated embodiment incorporates eight segments 90 formed on radii located at the inner diameter circle of the cover 86, with the adjacent segments 90 merging at peaks of maximum effective radius on the cover surface.

The result of this surface configuration is in effect to slap the feed belt 68 repeatedly as it reaches the position of the roll 72 and thereby jar the tow strand sufficiently free to strip readily from the belt surface under the normal pull of the piddler aspiration. Alternative cylindrical (not shown) and configurated covers 86 may be provided for selective use at the roll 72 as operating conditions indicate. The elevated superstructure 60 on which the feeding and piddler system is mounted includes guard railing 92 and an access ladder 94 for convenience in attending to such details.

. FIGS. 6 through 9 of the drawings show a modified piddler mechanism 100 embodying the present invention in which the entrance tube 102 and piddler tube 104 are of considerably shortened length and a specially formed open-sided chute member 106 is employed to direct the coiling delivery of strand material therefrom.

The entrance and piddler tubes 102 and 104 are both carried by a housing sleeve 108 that is cylindrical in form except at a flattened exterior position 108 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) provided for mounting attachment of the piddler mechanism as in the previously described embodiment.

A shouldered and centrally recessed and bored top piece 110 is fitted to the upper end of the housing sleeve 108, at an inner enlarged diameter portion 112 thereof, and is secured in place thereat by screws 114, to support the entrance tube102. An upper end portion 116 of entrance tube 102 is reduced in diameter for extension upwardly through the central bore in top piece 110 and a split ring 118 engages this portion 116 at the upper face of top piece 110 within its central recess to assemble the entrance tube 102 in position. This position is preferably further braced by an annulus 120 spaced within the housing sleeve 108 intermediate the depending length of entrance tube 102. A split ring 122 is installed within housing sleeve 108 as a lower locating support for the annulus 120 and a pair of resilient sealing rings 124 are stacked on top of annulus 120 and contained thereat by a second split ring 126 engaging housing sleeve 108 above them.

The piddler tube 104 is supported in axial alignment with entrance tube 102 by a pair of bearing units 128 which are held, together with a .top spacer ring 130, within an inner enlarged diameter portion 132 at the bottom housing sleeve 108 by retaining washers clamped in place by screws 132 spaced in correspondence with the top piece securing screws 114. The piddler tube 104 is enlarged in diameter above the bearing units 128 and fitted with a split ring 134 below for assembly therewith. The top spacer ring forms a shoulder within housing sleeve 108 on which a second pair of resilient sealing rings 136 are stacked to close a chamber within housing sleeve 108 at which a port 138 is provided to allow connection with an air supply for producing strand forwarding aspiration at an annular orifice formed between an inner flared surface I40 at the upper end of piddler tube 104 and a telescoped lower end outer tapered surface 142 of entrance tube 102. Shimming, as indicated at 144 in FIG. 7, is employed beneath the shouldered portion of top piece 110 to set the clearance of the annular orifice surfaces and 142, in preference to using the lock nutarrangement of the previously described embodiment.

Rotation of the piddler tube .104 is provided for by fitting its extending portion below the housing sleeve 108 with a pulley sleeve 146 on which a pulley 148 is mounted by set screws 150 that also penetrate the sleeve 146 to fix it in place on the piddler tube 104. The pulley sleeve 146 also serves to carry the specially formed strand delivery chute 106 at its lower end on an enlarged shoulder portion 152. The delivery chute 106 is shaped transversely (see FIG. 9) with a concave or trough-like form, having a semicircular bottom portion 154 exceeding in diameter-that of the piddler tube 104 and from which parallel leg portions 156 extend in an open-sided configuration. The extent of each leg portion 156 is made equal to the diameter of the semicircular bottom portion 154 in the illustrated embodiment, and the pulley sleeve shoulder portion 152 is formed with diametrically opposite flats 158 spaced to receive the chute leg portions 156 thereat for attachment by mounting screws 16.0 that allow the lengthwise inclination of the delivery chute 106 to be selectively set in relation to the axially aligned entrance and piddler tubes 102 and 104.

The significance of this open-sided form of delivery chute 106 appears to lie in the exceptional effectiveness with which it frees the delivered strand material from adverse influence by the accompanying necessary noticeable difference is the absence of any tendency toward vortex formation below the piddler mechanism as the chute 106 rotates with the piddler tube 104 to effect the coiling strand delivery. When the delivery is .directed by a canted tube portion at the lower end of the piddler tube, as in the previously described embodiment, such vortex formation and resulting troublesome suction disturbance of strand material that has been delivered to the tow bin is not uncommon.

4 Lengthwise, the open sided chute 106 is suitably proportioned for usual. conditions at about twice its transverse width to direct the coiling strand delivery, which takes place in a consistent orderly fashion when the lengthwise inclination is set to angle the chute bottom portion 154 downwardly across the axis on which the entrance and piddler tubes 102 and 104 are aligned at about 15 from vertical. The lengthwise extent and an gularity setting of the delivery chute 106 may be varied as needed to suit particular conditions, but good practical results have been obtained in conventional situations with the length extending at twice the width and the angularity set within the range of l to 20. Use of a delivery chute 106 of the foregoing form has been found to increase the density ofdelivered tow in a filled tow bin by as much as '25 percent, apparently because of the exceptionally orderly manner in which the tow is laid in the bin due to the absence of disturbing air discharge influences. 1

Another significant feature of the presently described embodiment is the relatively short length of the strand path provided through the entrance and piddler tubes 102 and 104. In an actual structure corresponding to that illustrated in the drawings for this embodiment, the entrance and piddler tubes 102 and 104 employed were formed with an inside diameter of fifteen-sixteenths inch and at a length of about 4% inch, including the pulley sleeve 146 carried by the piddler tube 104. With the annular orifice surfaces 140 and 142 telescoped for about one-half inch, the resulting strand path length through the piddler mechanism 100 prior to reaching the chute 106 was about 8% inch.

This relatively short strand path length has at least two advantageous effects. In the first place, it reduces substantially the air pressure needed for strand forwarding aspiration. For example, with the clearance between the annular orifice surfaces 140 and 142 set at about 0.010 to 0.015 inch, as in the previously described embodiment which was noted to operate at a running air pressure of about 25 p.s.i., an air supply in the order of 12 to l p.s.i. was found to be sufficient once initial threading of the strand had been completed.

Secondly, the restricted strand path length eliminates any tendency toward erratic delivery of the strand periodically due to what is believed to be excessive twist accumulation. With a rotating piddler tube arrangement such as is employed in' the previously described embodiment, it has been observed that occasionally a highly undesirable wild loop will be thrown during the coiling delivery of the strand. This erratic behavior is attributed to the imposition of a degree of false twist on-the strand as it passes through the piddler mechanism. Normally this false twist is released from the strand sufficiently during coiling delivery so that thedelivery pattern is not noticeably affected, but over a period it can accumulate gradually in the strand to a degree that is excessive enough to overpower the normal delivery tendencies and generate the previously noted wild loop upon release, which is almost certain to produce a .fouling tangle in the tow bin that will interfere with orderly withdrawal of the full bin batch for subsequent processing. This difiiculty is entirely eliminated when shortened entrance and piddler tubes 102 and 104 are used in accordance with the presently described embodiment. I i I Use of the open-sided chute 106 also probably contributes to the wild loop elimination thus obtained, although the principal contribution of such a chute is believed to be the substantial reduction it allows in the required extent of tubular'confinement of the strand material as it passes through the piddler mechanism 100 and the fact that the tubular confinement is not required to include a canted portion for directing the coiling delivery. To provide effective strand forwarding and coiling delivery with a piddler mechanism 100 arranged as just described, the tubular confinement of the strand material need not, and should not, extend either ahead of or beyond the annular aspiration orifice substantially more than five times the inside diameter of the entrance and piddler tubes 102 and 104. It will be apparent, however, that the piddler mechanism 100 might be alternatively arranged with both the entrance and piddler tubes 102 and 104, fixed in the housing sleeve 108 and only the open-sided chute 152 mounted for rotation, in which case the length of the strand path would not be as significant from the standpoint of eliminating erratic delivery behavior as a result of twist accumulation, although the restricted strand path length provided by the FIG. 6-9 embodiment would still be desirable for the substantial reductionallowed in the air pressure needed for aspiration. 1

The present invention has been described in detail above for purposes of illustration only and is not intended to be limited by this description or otherwise to exclude any variation or equivalent arrangement that would be apparent from, or reasonably suggested by, the foregoing disclosure to the skill of the art.

We claim:

1. A piddler mechanism for coiling delivery of continuous strand material, said mechanism comprising a vertically disposed entrance tube for receiving the strand material to be delivered, a housing adapted for fixed mounting and having an upper portion forming a chamber about a substantial lower end portion of said entrance tube and supporting the same in fixed relation, said housing additionally having a lower portion forming a journal box, a piddler tube supported for rotation by said lower housing portion in vertical alignment with said entrance tube, the lower end of said entrance tube terminating within the chamber formed by said upper housing portion and the exterior surface of said entrance tube adjacent said lower end' being tapered toward said end, the upper end of said piddler tube extending within the chamber formed by said upper housing portion and receiving said entrance tube lower end in closely spaced telescoping relation with the piddler tube interior surface adjacent said upper end being flared toward said end in complementary relation to said lower end entrance tube taper and defining therewith an intervening annular orifice from said upper housing chamber to said piddler tube at the lower end of said entrance tube, means for causing air to flow from said upper housing chamber through said annular orifice, and means for rotating said piddler tube, the closely spaced telescoping relation of the tapered entrance tube and flared piddler tube surfaces being such as to proportion the cross sectional area of the intervening annular orifice thereat for inducing a strand forwarding aspiration effect corresponding essentially to that obtained when the entrance and piddler tubes have an inside diameter of fifteen-sixteenths inch, the intervening clearance between the telescoped surfaces thereof is in the order of 0.010 to 0.015 inch, and air is caused to flow through this clearance under a supply pressure of not more than about 25 p.s.i.

2. A piddler mechanism as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said meansfor causing air flow through said annular orifice includes a sealing structure closing the bottom of said chamber about the upper end of said piddler tube while leaving said tube free for rotation, a perforated diffusing plate transversely partitioning said chamber intermediate its height, and an air supply port formed in said chamber above said diffusing plate.

3. The combination with a piddler mechanism as defined in claim 1 of means for feeding said continuous strand material thereto comprising a first roll of relatively large diameter, an endless belt trained to wrap arcuately over said first roll, and a second roll of relatively small maximum diameter disposed to extend a reach of said belt from said first roll adjacent the upper end of and in substantial vertical alignment with the entrance tube of said piddler mechanism, the peripheral surface of said second roll having a plurality of longitudinal segments formed arcuately on radii exceeding the maximum radius of said roll.

4. The combination with'a piddler mechanism for coiling delivery of continuous strand material, and having an entrance tube into which the strand material is drawn by aspiration, of means for feeding said continuous strand material to said piddler mechanism comprising a first roll of relatively large diameter, an endless belt trained to wrap arcuately over said first roll, and a second roll of relatively small maximum diameter disposed to extend a reach of said belt from said first roll in substantial alignment with said entrance tube and adjacent the end thereof into which said strand material is drawn, the peripheral surface of said second roll having a plurality of longitudinal segments formed arcuately on radii exceeding the maximum radius of dler tube axis.

6. A piddler mechanism as defined in claim 5 and further characterized in that the straight extent of said piddler tube does not substantially exceed five times its inner diameter, and in that airis supplied for aspiration at a pressure in the order of 12 to 15 p.s.i.

7. In a piddler mechanism for coiling delivery of a continuous filament bundle forming a tow strand and into which the tow strand is drawn by aspiration for forwarding through a tubular member, the improvement which comprises a tubular member of straight extent for said strand forwarding, chute means fitted at the delivery end of said tubular member in angular relation to the axis thereof, and means for rotating said chute means to effect the coiling delivery, said chute means being transversely concave in form whereby the tow strand is controlled for said coiling delivery while the influence of said aspiration is dissipated harmlessly as the coiling delivery is effected.

8. In a piddler mechanism, the structure defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that the angular relation of said chute means is set to angle the bottom portion thereof downwardly across the axis of said tubular member within the range from about 10 to 20.

9. In a piddler mechanism, the structure defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that the straight extend of said tubular member does not substantially exceed five times its inner diameter.

10. In a piddler mechanism, the structure defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that said opensided chute means is formed with a semi-circular bottom portion having a diameter exceeding that of said tubular member, with parallel leg portions extending from said bottom portion in an extent about equal to the diameter of the latter, and with a lengthwise extend proportioned at about twice its transverse width. 

1. A piddler mechanism for coiling delivery of continuous strand material, said mechanism comprising a vertically disposed entrance tube for receiving the strand material to be delivered, a housing adapted for fixed mounting and having an upper portion forming a chamber about a substantial lower end portion of said entrance tube and supporting the same in fixed relation, said housing additionally having a lower portion forming a journal box, a piddler tube supported for rotation by said lower housing portion in vertical alignment with said entrance tube, the lower end of saId entrance tube terminating within the chamber formed by said upper housing portion and the exterior surface of said entrance tube adjacent said lower end being tapered toward said end, the upper end of said piddler tube extending within the chamber formed by said upper housing portion and receiving said entrance tube lower end in closely spaced telescoping relation with the piddler tube interior surface adjacent said upper end being flared toward said end in complementary relation to said lower end entrance tube taper and defining therewith an intervening annular orifice from said upper housing chamber to said piddler tube at the lower end of said entrance tube, means for causing air to flow from said upper housing chamber through said annular orifice, and means for rotating said piddler tube, the closely spaced telescoping relation of the tapered entrance tube and flared piddler tube surfaces being such as to proportion the cross sectional area of the intervening annular orifice thereat for inducing a strand forwarding aspiration effect corresponding essentially to that obtained when the entrance and piddler tubes have an inside diameter of fifteen-sixteenths inch, the intervening clearance between the telescoped surfaces thereof is in the order of 0.010 to 0.015 inch, and air is caused to flow through this clearance under a supply pressure of not more than about 25 p.s.i.
 2. A piddler mechanism as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said means for causing air flow through said annular orifice includes a sealing structure closing the bottom of said chamber about the upper end of said piddler tube while leaving said tube free for rotation, a perforated diffusing plate transversely partitioning said chamber intermediate its height, and an air supply port formed in said chamber above said diffusing plate.
 3. The combination with a piddler mechanism as defined in claim 1 of means for feeding said continuous strand material thereto comprising a first roll of relatively large diameter, an endless belt trained to wrap arcuately over said first roll, and a second roll of relatively small maximum diameter disposed to extend a reach of said belt from said first roll adjacent the upper end of and in substantial vertical alignment with the entrance tube of said piddler mechanism, the peripheral surface of said second roll having a plurality of longitudinal segments formed arcuately on radii exceeding the maximum radius of said roll.
 4. The combination with a piddler mechanism for coiling delivery of continuous strand material, and having an entrance tube into which the strand material is drawn by aspiration, of means for feeding said continuous strand material to said piddler mechanism comprising a first roll of relatively large diameter, an endless belt trained to wrap arcuately over said first roll, and a second roll of relatively small maximum diameter disposed to extend a reach of said belt from said first roll in substantial alignment with said entrance tube and adjacent the end thereof into which said strand material is drawn, the peripheral surface of said second roll having a plurality of longitudinal segments formed arcuately on radii exceeding the maximum radius of said roll.
 5. A piddler mechanism as defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said piddler tube is arranged for coiling delivery of said strand material by providing the same in a straight extent and fitting the lower end thereof with an open-sided chute member fixed at a downward inclination with respect to the piddler tube axis.
 6. A piddler mechanism as defined in claim 5 and further characterized in that the straight extent of said piddler tube does not substantially exceed five times its inner diameter, and in that air is supplied for aspiration at a pressure in the order of 12 to 15 p.s.i.
 7. In a piddler mechanism for coiling delivery of a continuous filament bundle forming a tow strand and into which the tow strand is drawn by asPiration for forwarding through a tubular member, the improvement which comprises a tubular member of straight extent for said strand forwarding, chute means fitted at the delivery end of said tubular member in angular relation to the axis thereof, and means for rotating said chute means to effect the coiling delivery, said chute means being transversely concave in form whereby the tow strand is controlled for said coiling delivery while the influence of said aspiration is dissipated harmlessly as the coiling delivery is effected.
 8. In a piddler mechanism, the structure defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that the angular relation of said chute means is set to angle the bottom portion thereof downwardly across the axis of said tubular member within the range from about 10* to 20*.
 9. In a piddler mechanism, the structure defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that the straight extend of said tubular member does not substantially exceed five times its inner diameter.
 10. In a piddler mechanism, the structure defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that said open-sided chute means is formed with a semi-circular bottom portion having a diameter exceeding that of said tubular member, with parallel leg portions extending from said bottom portion in an extent about equal to the diameter of the latter, and with a lengthwise extend proportioned at about twice its transverse width. 